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Three and 1/2 year
Lectionary Readings |
Second Year of the |
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Heshvan 13, 5767 – November 3/4, 2006 |
Fifth Year of the Shemittah Cycle |
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2006 – Havdalah 6:28 PM
Saturday,
Nov. 4, 2006 – Havdalah 6:44 PM
Saturday,
Nov. 4, 2006 – Havdalah 7:22 PM
For other places
see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
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Shabbat |
Torah |
Weekday Torah |
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רְאוּ
קָרָא |
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“R’U
Qara” |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
35:30-35 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
37:1-3 |
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“Behold
has called” |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
36:1-7 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
37:4-6 |
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“Mirad, ha nombrado” |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
36:8-13 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
37:7-9 |
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Sh’mot (Exodus) 35:30 – 36:38 |
Reader 4 – Sh’mot
36:14-19 |
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Ashlamatah: Is. 55:13 – 56:8 + 57:15 |
Reader 5 – Sh’mot
36:20-26 |
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Reader 6 – Sh’mot
36:27-30 |
Reader 1 – Sh’mot
37:10-13 |
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Psalm 69 |
Reader 7 – Sh’mot
36:31-38 |
Reader 2 – Sh’mot
37:14-16 |
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Maftir – Sh’mot 36:36-38 |
Reader 3 – Sh’mot
37:10-16 |
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N.C.: Matityahu 12:1-8 |
Is. 55:13 – 56:8 + 57:15 |
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Roll
of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes
to you courtesy of His Honor Paqid Adon Hillel ben David and most beloved
family, and that of Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah and beloved family,
as well as that of His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann and beloved family and
that of His Excellency Adon John Batchelor and beloved wife, and that of His
Excellency Adon Ezra ben Abraham and his beloved wife Giberet Karmela bat
Sarah. For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the
lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of
their loved ones, together with all Yisrael, amen ve amen! Also a great thank
you to all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of
the weekly Seder.
If you want to subscribe to
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Rashi
& Targum Pseudo Jonathan for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 35:30 – 36:38
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RASHI |
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN |
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30 Moshe said to the B’ne
Yisrael, "See, Adonai has designated by name, Betzalel, son of Uri, son
of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah. |
30 And Mosheh said to the
sons of |
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31 And He endowed him with
Divine spirit, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with [the
skill to perform] all types of crafting. |
31 and has filled him with
the spirit of prophecy from before the Lord, in wisdom, in
understanding, in knowledge, and in all handicraft; |
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32 And to devise [plans]
with ingenuity, to execute [those plans] in gold, in silver and in copper. |
32 and to instruct
artificers to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, |
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33 And in masonry for
settings, and in carpentry, to execute all kinds of clever tasks. |
33 and in the cutting of precious
stones, to perfect by them the work, and in the fabrication of wood, to work
in all the work of artificers. [ |
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34 And the ability to
instruct he instilled in his heart, he (Betzalel) and Oholiav, the son of
Achisamach of the tribe of Dan. |
34 And to teach art‑work
to the rest of the artificers he imparted skill to his heart, and to (that
of) Ahaliab bar Achisamak, of the tribe of Dan. |
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35 He filled them with
wisdom of the heart, to execute all the tasks of the engraver, the
craftsman, and the embroiderer of greenish-blue wool, dark red wool, crimson
wool, fine linen, and the [the tasks of] weaver, [also] that of laborers and
planners. |
35 He filled them with
wisdom of heart to make all the work of the carpenter and the embroiderer,
in hyacinth, and in purple, and in crimson, and in fine linen; and of the
sewer, to fashion all the work, and to teach the workmen. |
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1 And they shall
execute--- Betzalel and Oholiav---and every wise-hearted man whom Adonai had
endowed with wisdom and insight to know (how) to execute in all of the holy
work--- all that Adonai had commanded. |
1 And Bezalel and Ahaliab
wrought, and every man wise in heart, to whom the Lord had given wisdom and
intelligence to understand and to make all the work for the service of the
sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded. |
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2 Moshe called to Betzalel
and to Oholiav, and to every wise-hearted man whom Adonai had endowed with
wisdom in his heart, everyone whose heart moved him to approach the
task---to execute it. |
2 And Mosheh called
Bezalel and Ahaliab, and every man wise in heart, to whose heart the Lord
had given wisdom, every one whose heart was moved, to draw near, and do the
work itself. |
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3 And they took from
before Moshe, all the terumah-offering which the B’ne Yisrael brought for
the tasks of the holy work, to execute it. And they continued to bring gifts
each and every morning. |
3 And they took from
before Mosheh all the separation that the children of |
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4 All the wise men came---
who were executing all the holy tasks--- each and every man from the task in
which he was engaged. |
4 And all the wise men who
did all the work of the sanctuary came, each man from the work which he had
done; |
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5 They said the following
to Moshe: the people are bringing too much--- more than is needed for the
tasks which Adonai has commanded to execute. |
5 and they said to Mosheh,
The people abound in bringing (more) than is enough for the service of the
work, which the Lord hath ordained. |
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6 Moshe commanded--- and
they proclaimed throughout the encampment saying, "Let no man or woman
bring any more material for the sacred offering." And the people
stopped bringing. |
6 And Mosheh commanded,
and they made proclamation through the camp, saying, Neither man nor woman
may make any more work for the holy separation: and the people ceased from
bringing. |
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7 The material was enough
for all the work that had to be done, and some was left over. |
7 For what had been done
was according to the sufficiency of all the work; and they did it, and had
more than enough. |
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8 All craftsmen with the
spirit of wisdom made the mishkan out of ten drapes, (consisting of) twined
fine linen, greenish blue wool, dark red wool and crimson wool, figures of Cherubim,
the work of a craftsman. |
8 And all the wise in
heart made the TABERNACLE; ten curtains of fine linen, and hyacinth, and
purple, and scarlet, figured with kerubin, the work of the embroiderer, he
made them. |
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9 The length of each drape
was twenty eight amohs, and each drape was four amohs wide. All drapes had
the same measure. |
9 The length of one
curtain twenty and eight cubits, the sum of one curtain ; the measure was
one for all the curtains. |
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10 He joined (sewed) five
of these drapes together, and the other five drapes he joined (sewed)
together. |
10 And he conjoined five
curtains one with another, and (the other) five curtains conjoined he one
with another. |
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11 He made loops of
greenish blue wool on the edge of the drape which was at the (innermost) end
of the (first) group. He did the same on the edge of the drape which was the
innermost end of the second group. |
11 And he made loops of
hyacinth upon the edge of one curtain, at the place of conjunction in the
side; so made he in the side at the place of conjunction in the other
curtain. [ |
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12 He made fifty loops on
(the edge of) one drape and he made fifty loops on the edge of the drape
which was on the second group. The loops were opposite one another. |
12 Fifty loops he made in
one curtain, and fifty loops made he at the place of juncture of the edge of
the second curtain; the loops were arranged one over against the other. [ |
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13 He made fifty golden
clasps and he joined the drapes (of each group) together with the clasps.
The mishkan was thus one unit. |
13 And he made fifty
taches of gold, and conjoined one curtain with another with the taches, and
there was one tabernacle. |
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14 He made drapes of
goats' hair for a covering over the mishkan. He made eleven such drapes. |
14 And he made curtains of
goats' hair to spread upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them. |
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15 The length of each
drape was thirty amohs, and the width of each drape was four amohs. The
eleven drapes were of the same measure. |
15 The length of one
curtain thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of one curtain; one
measure for the eleven curtains. |
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16 And he joined together
five drapes by themselves, and six drapes by themselves. |
16 And he joined five
curtains together, corresponding with the five books of the law; and
six curtains together, corresponding with the six orders of the Mishna.
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17 He made fifty loops on
the edge of one drape which was the innermost end of the (first) group and
he made fifty loops on the edge of the drape which was on the second group. |
17 And he made fifty loops
in the border of the curtain at the place of conjuncture, and fifty loops
made he upon the border of the curtain at the second place of conjuncture. |
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18 He made fifty copper
clasps to join the tent together making it one. |
18 And he made taches of
brass to compact the tabernacle, that it might become one. |
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19 He made a covering for
the tent out of red dyed rams' skins, and a covering of tachash skins above
that. |
19 And he made a covering
for the tabernacle of rams' skins reddened, and of purple skins to protect
it above. |
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20 He made planks for the mishkan
out of acacia wood; (these planks) stood upright (vertically). |
20 And he made the boards
of the tabernacle of sitta wood, standing up, after the way of their
plantation; |
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21 Each plank was ten
amohs long, and one and one half amohs was the width of each plank. |
21 ten cubits the length
of the board, and a cubit and a half of a cubit the breadth of one board. |
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22 Each plank had two
(square) pegs, exactly parallel to each other. In this manner he made all
the planks of the mishkan. |
22 Each board had two
tenons arranged, one side for the midst of the other side; and so did he for
all the boards of the tabernacle. |
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23 He made these planks
for the mishkan, twenty planks for the southern side. |
23 And he made the boards
of the the tabernacle twenty boards, on the side of the south wind; |
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24 He made forty silver
sockets, (and placed them) under the twenty planks. There were two sockets
under one plank (one) for each of the two pegs, and two sockets under the
other plank, (one) for each of the two pegs. |
24 and forty sockets of
silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets beneath one board for
its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons. |
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25 For the second wall of
the mishkan, to the northern side, he made twenty planks. |
25 And for the second side
of the tabernacle on the north he made twenty boards, |
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26 (He made) their forty
silver sockets, two sockets under each plank, two sockets under each plank. |
26 and their forty sockets
of silver; two sockets beneath one board, and two sockets beneath another
board. |
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27 For the western end of
the mishkan he made six planks. |
27 And to the border of
the tabernacle westward he made six boards, |
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28 He made two planks for
the corners of the mishkan at the rear side. |
28 and two boards made he
at the corners of the tabernacle at their extremes. [ |
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29 They were coupled
together on the bottom, and they were coupled together evenly on the top
with one (square) ring. In this manner he made the two (planks) which were
at the two corners. |
29 And they were conjoined
below, and joined together were they at their tops with one ring; so made he
both of them at the two corners. [ |
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30 There were eight
planks, and their silver sockets, totaling sixteen sockets, two sockets, two
sockets under each plank. |
30 And eight boards there
were, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets, and two
sockets under one board. |
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31 He made bars out of
acacia wood, five for the planks of one wall, |
31 And be made bars of
sitta wood; five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, |
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32 and five bars for the
planks of the second wall of the mishkan, and five bars for the planks of
the western (back) wall of the mishkan. |
32 and five bars for the
boards of the second side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of
the tabernacle at the ends westward. |
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33 He made the middle
(center) bar to go through the planks, [reinforcing the planks] from one end
to the other. |
33 And he made the middle
bar to mortise in the midst of the boards from end to end, of
the tree which our father Abraham planted in |
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34 He overlaid the planks
with gold, and made their rings out of gold to hold the bars. He (also)
overlaid the bars with gold. |
34 And the boards he
overlaid with gold, and the rings be made of gold, as the place for the
bars; and he covered the bars with gold. |
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35 He made the parochet
(partition) out of greenish blue wool, dark red wool, crimson wool, and
fine, twined linen, the work of a craftsman, with figures of Cherubim (woven
into it). |
35 And he made the VEIL of
hyacinth, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen twined, the work of the
artificer; figured with kerubin he made it. |
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36 He made for it (the
parochet) four acacia-wood pillars and he overlaid them with gold. Their
hooks were also of gold. He cast for them four silver sockets. |
36 And he made for it four
pillars of sitta wood, and covered them with gold, and their hooks of gold,
and cast for them four sockets of silver. |
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37 He made a screen for
the entrance of the tent, of greenish blue wool, dark red wool, crimson
wool, and fine twined linen. It was the work of an embroiderer. |
37 And he made a curtain
for the door of the tabernacle, of hyacinth, and purple, and crimson., and
fine linen twined, the work of the embroiderer, |
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38 (He made) five pillars
(to hold the screen), along with their hooks and he overlaid their caps and
bands with gold. Their five sockets (he made of) copper. |
38 and its five pillars,
and their five hooks; and be covered their capitals and their joinings with
gold, and their five bases with brass. |
Midrash
Tanhuma Yelammedenu for: Sh’mot (Exodus) 35:30 – 36:38
1.
And Moses said unto the children of
You
know this is so from the fact that Bezalel was granted the privilege of
building the Tabernacle because he had earned a good name, as it is written: A
good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather
than silver and gold (Prov. 22:1). Whence do we know this? From the name by
which he called him: See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel [The name Bezalel
can be read as beizal el “in the shadow of God.”].
Scripture
states elsewhere: A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of
death than the day of one’s birth (Eccles. 7:1). They asked Solomon: Why is
a good name better than precious oil? He replied: When a man is born, no one
knows what he will become, but when he leaves this world with a good name, good
deeds become abundant because of him. The Israelites attend him, they perform
deeds of charity, they extol him with praises, and they exclaim: “How righteous/generous
was so-and-so, and how wholeheartedly he fulfilled the law and performed good
deeds.” May his sleep be with the righteous/generous!
Why
did Solomon not say: “A good name is better than wine or honey”? And why did he
refrain from mentioning any other fluid except precious oil? Because of the
fact that when you pour water into a bottle of oil it rises and floats to the
surface, while other fluids are mixable with water. That is what happens to one
who possesses a good name. He rises to a new level in his community.
Another
comment on A good name is better than precious oil. A good name
increases (among people), while precious oil descends. A good name arises, as
it is written: And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you
and make your name great (Gen. 12:2), while precious oil flows downward, as
it is said: It is like the precious oil upon the head (Ps. 133:2).
Precious oil is transitory, while a good name is everlasting, as is said: May
his name endure forever; may his name be continued as long as the sun
(ibid. 72:17). This was said in reference to the prophets and the wise men.
Precious oil may be destroyed, but a good name is indestructible, as it is
said: I will give them an everlasting memorial, that they will not be cut
off (Isa. 56:5).
Precious
oil is possessed by men of wealth, but a good name may be attained by poor and
rich alike. A good name adheres to the living and the dead, while precious oil
exists for the living alone. The scent of precious oil may travel from the
sleeping chamber to the anteroom, but a good name travels from one end of the
earth to the other. When precious oil falls upon a corpse, it become putrid, as
it is said: Dead flies make the oil of a perfumer fetid and putrid
(Eccles. 10:1), but when a good name is possessed by a deceased person, it does
not deteriorate, as is said: And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put
his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his
hands, and he stretched himself out upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed
warm (II Kings 4:34). Another explanation. When precious oil falls into
water it floats away, but a good name does not float away, as is said: And
the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the thy land
(Jonah 2:11). Another explanation. When precious oil falls into a fire, it is
consumed, but when a good name falls into fire, it is not consumed, as is said:
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the midst of the
fire (Dan. 3:26).
R.
Judah the son of Simon stated: We find that one who possesses precious oil may
enter a healthy place and come out a corpse, while the owner of a good name can
enter a place of death and come out alive: Nadab and Abihu approached the altar
to offer sacrifices, but they were consumed even though they were anointed with
it, as is written: And there came forth fire from before the Lord and
devoured them (Lev. 10:2). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, on the other
hand, went into the fire and came out alive, as it is said: Then Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the midst of the fire.
And
the day of death rather than the day of one’s birth (Exod. 7:1). When a child is
born, no one can foresee the vicissitudes that may befall him, but at the time
of his death everything about his life is known. When Miriam was born, no one
was aware of it, but at ‘her death the well disappeared [See Taanit 4a. The
well in the desert was given for Miriam’s sake]. When Aaron was born, no one knew but when he
died, the cloud of glory was removed [Indicating that he had died and that his
soul was lifted up by the cloud]; when Bezalel was born, nobody knew but
(before he died) he was called to build the Tabernacle. (After their deaths,)
everyone knew these things. A good name is better than precious oil.
Bezalel’s good name was more helpful to him than anointing oil to the sons of
Aaron, for in the case of Bezalel, the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: See,
the Lord has called by name Bezalel.
2.
And he has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and
in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). Wisdom is mentioned, despite the fact that he had been endowed
previously with wisdom, to teach us that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not grant wisdom to
anyone unless he already possesses some wisdom. A lady asked R. Yosé the
son of Halafta: “What is meant by He gives wisdom to the wise (Dan.
2:21)? Should not the verse say ‘He gives wisdom to the fool’?” He replied: “My
daughter, if two men came to you to borrow money, one of them being poor and
the other rich, to whom would you lend the money?” She answered: “I would lend
the money to the rich man, of course.”“Why?” he asked. And she replied: “If the
rich man should suffer a loss, he would still have sufficient money to repay
me, but if the poor man lost my money, how could he possibly repay me?” He said
to her: “Let your ears hear what your lips have said. If the Holy One, blessed
be He, gave wisdom to fools, they would still sit in privies, in filthy alleys,
and in bathhouses, and would not put the wisdom to use. Hence the Holy One,
blessed be He, gives wisdom to the wise, who sit in the chambers of the elders,
in synagogues, and in houses of study, and they utilize that wisdom.” Therefore
it is written: He has filled him with wisdom (Exod. 35:35).
He
gives wisdom to one who possesses wisdom and understanding and knowledge in all
kinds of work. Similarly, you find that this was so in the case of Joshua:
Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9), for he
already possessed wisdom. This may be compared to a shopkeeper to whom a man
goes to purchase wine, honey, oil, or brine. The shopkeeper smells the odor
that comes from the bottle, and if it is of wine he pours wine into it, and he
does likewise with honey, oil, or brine. When the Holy One, blessed be He,
observes that a man has the spirit of wisdom within him, He fills him with additional
wisdom. Hence He has filled him with the spirit of wisdom, since he
already possesses some.
3.
And Moses said unto the children of
After
Moses descended, he said to the Israelites: “The Holy One, blessed be He, told
me how to build a Sanctuary, an altar, and a table for Him.” They asked: “Who
will do all this?”“Bezalel,” he replied. The Israelites began to complain
against Moses, crying out: “The Holy One, blessed be He, did not tell Moses
that Bezalel would build the Sanctuary, Moses made that decision by himself
because he is related to him; Moses is king, and his brother, Aaron, is the
high priest; his sons are officials of the priesthood, Eleazar is chief of the
Levites and the sons of Kohath are the bearers of the Tabernacle. Now this one
is being given the authority to build the Sanctuary! Moses seeks to elevate him
by giving him this great honor.” Moses attempted to explain. He said to them: “I
have done nothing on my own; the Holy One, blessed be He, told me what to do.”
And he showed them the words: See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel.
He did this to fulfill what is stated: So will you find grace and good favor
in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). In the sight of God alludes to
Bezalel, as the Holy One, blessed be He, said: See, the Lord has called by
name Bezalel. And man refers to
Why
was he called Bezalel? Because he constructed a place of shade for God [the
name Bezalel can be read as Betzal el “in the shadow of God”], as it is said: You
will dwell in the covert of the Most High, and abide in the shadow of the
Almighty (Ps. 91:1).
4.
See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Scripture says elsewhere: To
whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal? says the Lord. Lift up
your eyes on high and see Who has created these? (Isa. 40:25-26). The Holy
One, blessed be He, asked: To whom will you liken Me? If a man walking
in darkness encounters another who lights the way for him, should he not be
grateful for his kindness? Even so, should not you, for whom I cause the light
to shine as you sleep at night, be grateful to me for My kindness? Hence, to
whom will ye liken Me, that I shall be equal? (ibid.). Lift up your eyes
on high and see: Who hath created these? (ibid.). By whose merit did these
generations of the heavens (Gen. 2:4) exist? Because of the merit of These
are the names (Exod. 1:1)? For whose sake do they all exist? Because of the
merit of These are the testimonies, and the statues and the ordinances
(Deut. 4:45)? Who created these? He who brings out their hosts by number
(Isa. 40:26).
One
verse tells us; He gave them all their names (Ps. 14:7), while another
says: He called them all by their names (Isa. 40:26). How can these
verses by reconciled? If He gave them all their names, why does it say: He
called them all by their names? If the Holy One, blessed be He, so desires,
He calls all of them by one name and they stand before Him as one, but when he
so desires, He calls each one by his own name: Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael.
Hence, He gave them all their names.
Another
comment on He gave them all their names. You might say that this verse
alludes to the heavenly hosts, but how do we know that it refers as well to the
inhabitants of the earthly sphere? We know it from the words See, the Lord has
called by name Bezalel.
Some
are mentioned for praise, and others are referred to in scorn. One person
mentioned in praise is found in the verse And with him was Oholiab the son
of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan (Exod. 38:23). It praises him, his
mother, his family, and the tribe of Dan, from which he descended. One referred
to in scorn is found in the verse And his mother’s name was Shelomith the
daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan (Lev. 24:11). He was a disgrace to
himself and is a disgrace to his mother, his family, and the tribe from which
he descended [The grandson of Dibri, who had been raped by an Egyptian, he
blasphemed and cursed God. See Lev. 24:11].
An
illustration of one who is mentioned for ridicule is in the verse Akhan the
son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah (Josh.
7:1). This ridicules him [he was stoned to death at
See,
the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Un the son of Hur (Exod. 35:30). Why was it
necessary to mention Hur? Because he (Hur) sacrificed his life
for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He. When the people were eager to make
the golden calf, he confronted them and rebuked them. Whereupon they attacked
him and killed him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured, I will
reward you. To what may this be compared? To a king whose legions had rebelled.
When the commanding officer arose and fought against them, and said, “You have
rebelled against the king,” they killed him. The king came to them and asked:
“Where is my commander-in-chief?” They replied: “The legionaries killed him.”
The king cried out: “You gave your life for my life. If you had given me money,
I could have repaid you, but since you have sacrificed your life for me, I will
appoint all your descendants commanders and lieutenants.” Similarly, since Hur
sacrificed his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, at the episode
of the calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you did this, I will
make you known, and those who descend from you shall be known throughout the
world, as it is said: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of
Uri the son of Hur
And
He has filled him with the spirit of God (Exod. 35:3 1). You must not believe that He did this
only for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled understanding and
knowledge in all who were occupied in the construction of the Sanctuary, as it
is said: And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work
(ibid. 36:8). And you must not think He did so for men alone. The Holy One,
blessed be He, instilled wisdom, as it is said: In whom (bahemah) the Lord
hath put wisdom and understanding (ibid. 36:1). “In whom,” which may be understood
as behemah (“animal”), indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave
wisdom to man and beasts but only Bezalel was designated by name.
See,
the Lord has called by name Bezalel. Why did he merit this distinction? Because he
descended from the tribe of
R.
Aha and our sages discussed this verse. Our sages said: He repeated this twice
to himself and then He told it to
Because
the midwives feared God (ibid., v. 21).” [See Sotah 11b. Tradition tells us that the two
mid-wives, Shipra and Puah, were really Miriam and Jochebed. See Exodus Rabbah
1:13.] How did the Holy One, blessed be He, reward them? He gave them houses.
What houses did he give them? The house of priesthood and the house of
kingship. Jochebed received priesthood and kingship, since Aaron became the
high priest and Moses became a king: There was a king in
5.
See, He has called by name Bezalel (Exodus 35:30). Observe what He did for
Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom in his heart, as it is
said: And he has filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in
understanding, and in knowledge (ibid., v. 31). It was with these
attributes the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, as it is said: The
Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens;
by knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19-20). With these same
attributes Bezalel erected the Tabernacle.
The
Another explanation of Hear Lord, the voice of
Elihu disclosed: I said: “Days should speak, and multitude of years
should teach wisdom.” But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the
Almighty, that gives them understanding (Job 32:7). All of the
understanding possessed by Bezalel came from the spirit of the Almighty, and it
was instilled into him. And He has filled him with the spirit of God, in
wisdom. Understanding and knowledge (Exod. 35:3 1). He was wise in
his knowledge of the Torah, in understanding, because he comprehended the law,
and knowledge, because his mind was full of learning, and in all manner of
workmanship, according to its plain meaning. The Holy One, blessed be He, said:
In this world, My spirit instills wisdom within you, but in the future I will
implant My spirit within you and you will be restored to life, as it is said: And
I will put My spirit within you and you will live (Ezek. 37:14).
Ketubim
Targum Psalm 69
1. For
praise; concerning the exile of the Sanhedrin; composed by David.
2.
Redeem me, O God, for an army of sinners has come to trouble me, like water
that has reached to the soul.
3. I am
sunk in exile like water of the deep, and there is no place to stand; I have
come to the mighty depths; a band of wicked men and a wicked king have sent me
into exile.
4. I
am weary of calling out, my throat has become rough, my eyes have ceased to
wait for my God.
5.
Those who hate me without a cause are more numerous that the hairs of my head;
those who dismay me – my enemies, false witnesses – have grown strong; what I
never stole I will [have to] repay, because of their false witness.
6. O
God, you know my folly; my sins have not been hidden from your presence.
7. Those who trust in You will not
be disappointed in me; those who seek instruction from You will not be ashamed
of me, O God of Israel.
8. For on Your account I have borne
disgrace; shame has covered my face.
9. I have been accounted a stranger
to my brothers, and [I am] like a Gentile to the sons of my mother.
10.
For zeal for the sanctuary has consumed me; and the condemnation of the wicked/lawless
who condemn You when they prefer their idols to Your glory has fallen on me.
11.
And I wept in the fasting of my soul; and my kindness became my shame.
12.
And I put sackcloth in place of my clothing; and I became a proverb to them.
13.
Those who sit in the gate will speak about me in the marketplace, and [in] the
songs of those who come to drink liquor in the circuses.
14. But
as for me, my prayer is in Your presence, O Lord, in the time of favor; O God,
in the abundance of Your goodness answer me in the truth of Your redemption.
15.
Deliver me from exile, which is likened to mud, and I will not sink; let me be
delivered from my enemies, who are like the depths of waters.
16. A
mighty king will not send me into exile, and the powerful deep will not swallow
me to cover me up, and the mouth of Gehenna will not be opened up for me.
17. Answer
me, O Lord, for Your kindness is good; look towards me with the abundance of Your
compassion.
18. And
do not remove Your presence from Your servant, for I am in distress; hasten,
answer me.
19.
Draw near to my soul, redeem it, so that my enemies may not claim superiority
over me, redeem me.
20.
You know my disgrace and my shame and my dishonor; before You stand all my
oppressors.
21.
Disgrace has broken my heart, and behold, it is ill; and I waited for those
skilled in mourning, but they were not; and for those skilled in comfort, and I
found them not.
22.
And as my meal they gave me bitter gall and poison; and for my thirst, they
gave me vinegar to drink.
23.
Let their table that they set before me with my food become a snare before
them; and their sacrifices an offense.
24.
Let their eyes darken so they cannot see, and let their loins continually
tremble.
25.
Pour out your anger upon them, and may your harsh anger overtake them.
26.
Let their tent became deserted, may no one settle in their tent.
27. For
they have pursued the one You have smitten, and they shall tell of the one
wounded for Your slain.
28.
Give iniquity/lawlessness for their iniquity/lawlessness, and let them not be
purified to enter the assembly of your righteous/generous ones.
29.
Let them be erased from the memorial book of life, and let them not be written
with the righteous/generous.
30. But I am poor and wounded; Your
redemption, O God, will save me.
31. I
will praise the name of my God with song, and I will magnify Him with
thanksgiving.
32.
And my prayer will be more pleasing in the presence of the Lord than a choice
fatted ox that the first Adam sacrificed, whose horns preceded its hooves.
33. The humble have seen; so let
those who seek instruction from the presence of God be glad and let their heart
live.
34.
For the Lord accepts the prayer of the lowly, and has not despised His
prisoners.
35.
Let the angels of heaven and those who dwell on earth praise Him; the seas, and
all that swarms in them.
36.
For God will redeem
37. And
the sons of His servants will succeed to it, and those who love His name will
abide in its midst
Ketubim
Da’at Mikra – By: Amos Hakham
Psalm
69
INTRODUCTION
Psalm
69 consists of a heading (verse 1) and three sections. In the first section the
psalmist describes his distress and prays for salvation (verses 2-22); in the
second section he curses his enemies (verses 23-29); and in the third section
he offers a song of thanksgiving verses 30-37). In the first section the
psalmist describes the distress caused him by his enemies’ persecutions (verses
2-5); he describes their taunts and scorn verses 6-13); he prays for
deliverance from his enemies (verses 14-19); and he complains about their
taunts and scorn (verses 20-22). In the third section, he mentions his trust in
his salvation (verse 30); he vows to sing a song of thanksgiving (verses 31-32);
he calls upon all those who fear the Lord to participate in his joy (verse 33);
he notes that God hears prayer (verse 34); he calls upon all creation to
participate in his joy (verse 35); and he talks of the salvation of Zion
(verses 36-37).
1
To the director of music, ‘al-shoshannim. Of David.
2
Save me, O God, for the waters have come to my neck.
3
I have sunk into deep mire, where there is no standing. I have come into deep
waters, and the flood overwhelms me.
1 To
the director of music, ‘al-shoshannim.’ The meaning of the word shoshannim is
not clear. Possibly it is the name of the musical instrument whose playing
accompanied the singing of this psalm, or else it may be the name of the melody
to which this Psalm was sung. There may have been a well-known song about lilies
(shoshannim), and the melody to which that song was sung may also have
been known by that name.
2 Save
me, O God.
The psalmist begins with a cry for God’s deliverance, in the manner of those
who find themselves in great distress (Jeremiah 2:2 7; and elsewhere). Like
this psalm. Psalms 12 and 54 also begin with a cry to God that He send
deliverance. The petition for deliverance, “save me,” is one of the most common
prayer formulations found in the Book of Psalms (Psalms 3:8, 6:5; and
elsewhere). For the waters have come to my neck. For I find
myself in great distress, as I am drowning and the water has already reached my
neck. The word nefesh, is used here in the sense of “neck.” Similarly,
in Psalm 105:18: “They hurt his leg with fetters, his neck [nafsho] was
set in iron.” We find a similar metaphor in Isaiah 8:7-8: “The waters of :he
river, strong and abundant ... and he will sweep through
3.
I have sunk into deep mire. I am like someone who has sunk into mire found in
deep waters. The word yaven, means “mire” (see Psalm 40:3). The word m’tzulah,
refers to “deep waters.” Similarly (Exodus 15:5): “They sank in deep waters [vimtzo1ot]
like a stone. “ Where there is no standing. Where there is no
place upon which to stand. The psalmist likens himself to a drowning person who
has reached the bottom of the sea, but nonetheless is unable to stand because
the bottom of the sea is covered with mire, into which he sinks. The word mo’omad,
“standing,” is a hof’al participle, and is used here in place of an abstract
noun, “a place to stand.” I have come into deep waters. I have
gone deeply into the waters. And the flood overwhelms me. And a
strong current is passing over me and dragging me away The word shibbolet,
“flood,” here means “a current of water.” Similarly (Isaiah 27:12): “From the
strong current [mishibbolet] of the river as far as the stream of
Egypt.” In these two verses the psalmist likens the persecutions conducted
against him by his enemies to strong currents of water that overwhelm and drag
away whoever is found in their path. This metaphor is very common in the Bible.
See Psalm 124:4-5: “Then the waters would have flooded us. The torrent would
have passed over our soul. Then over our soul the treacherous water would have
passed.”
4
I am weary with my crying out, my throat is dry, my eyes fail while I wait for
my God.
5
Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
Those who would destroy me are many, who are wrongfully my enemies. What I did
not steal I must restore.
4.
I am weary with my crying out. I am tired and weary from all my crying out to You
(the word [L’Elohai], at the end of the verse is linked to the first
clause as well, so that the verse means: I am weary of crying out to my God). My
throat is dry. The word nichar, means “is dry” Similarly
(Jeremiah 17:6): “But he will inhabit the parched places [charerim] in
the wilderness.” It also means “is burned,” as in Psalm 102:4: “And my bones
have dried up [nicharu] like a burning mass.” Those who cry out very
loudly often find that their throats are “dry” and “on fire.” My eyes
fail while I wait for my God. My eyes fail because of my long waiting
for my God. I have already waited many days in hope of God’s salvation, but
that salvation has still not arrived. Rashi states that any extended waiting is
referred to as kilyon ‘einayim, as in Deuteronomy 28:32: “And your eyes
will look and fail with longing [v’khalot] for them all day long.”
According to another explanation, the psalmist means: My eyes fail because of
excessive crying, as in Lamentations 2:11: “My eyes fail [kalu] with
tears.”
5.
Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head. This is an exaggerated
expression. The words, “those who hate me for no reason,” may possibly refer to
the enemies of
6
O God You know my folly, and my sins are not hidden from You.
7
Let those who trust in You, O Lord God of hosts, not be ashamed for my sake.
Let those who seek You, O God of
8.
For on Your account I have borne taunting, humiliation has covered my face.
6.
O God, You know my folly. You know the acts that I nave performed in my folly.
The psalmist is referring here to his sins, for “a person does not sin unless
he has been possessed by a spirit of folly” (Sotah 3a). And my sins are
not hidden from You. My sins are not concealed from You. On the contrary
they are revealed to You. Similarly (Hosea 5:3): “I know Ephraim, and
7.
Let those who trust in You, O Lord God of hosts, not be ashamed for my sake. This is a request: Let it not
come about that those who trust in You, those who fear You and await Your
salvation, are ashamed and disappointed in me if my prayers are not answered. The psalmist here serves as the
prayer-leader for all
8.
For on Your account I have borne taunting. The enemies who taunt me do
so on Your account, because I am a member of Your people and I am included
among those who fear You. Humiliation has covered my face.
Because of You humiliation has covered my face, and it is fitting that those
who see You should not be humiliated on my account. The expression,
“humiliation has covered my face,” alludes to the fact that the feeling of
humiliation is often evident on a person’s face. It may also allude to the
tendency found among those who are being humiliated to cover their faces from
public gaze.
9
I have become a stranger to my brothers and an alien to my mother’s sons.
10
Because the zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the taunts of those who
taunt Yoo have fallen upon me.
11
And I weep with fasting over my soul, and that becomes a taunt for me.
12
And I make sackcloth my garment, and I have become a proverb to them.
9.
I have become a stranger to my brothers. The word ‘alekha, “on
Your account,” in the previous verse extends to this verse as well: Not only my
enemies, but also my brothers relate to me as if I were a stranger, and they
distance themselves from me because I fear the Lord. The word muzar,
“stranger,” is a hof’al participle, derived from the root ZVR, and it has
the same meaning as the word zar,
“stranger.” And an alien to my mother’s sons. And I have become
an alien to my mother’s Sons. The word nokhri,
“alien,” parallels the word muzar, “stranger.” Similarly (Proverbs
27:2): “Let a stranger [zar] praise you, and not your own mouth; another
person [nokhri], and not your own lips.” The expression b’nei immi,
“my mother’s Sons,” parallels the term echai, “my brothers.” Similarly
(Genesis 27:29): “Be lord over your brothers [L’achekha], and let your
mother’s sons [b’nei immekha] bow down to you.” The psalmist means here
that all his brothers have distanced themselves from him, both his paternal
brothers and his maternal brothers.
10.
Because the zeal for Your house has consumed me. The word “because” introduces
a clause explaining what was said in verse 8: “on Your account I have borne
taunting”: They taunt me, because the zeal for Your house burns in me and
consumes me like fire. In other words, I am filled with anger on account of the
desecration of God’s house, and I am trying with all my strength to avenge that
desecration. The psalmist zeal is likened to fire. Similarly (Ezekiel 38:18-19):
“My fury shall rise on My face, for in My jealousy and in the fire of My anger
I have spoken,” and elsewhere. The word beit’kha, “Your house,” may refer to the
11.
And I weep with fasting over my soul. The verse should be understood as follows: My
soul weeps and fasts. In other words, I weep and fast. Another explanation: And
I weep with fasting over my soul, over what has happened to me. And that
becomes a taunt for me. And my weeping causes my enemies to taunt me.
The subject of the verb vat’hi, is not specified, and the verb appears
as a feminine, just like Psalm 118:23: “This [Zot] was from the Lord.”
The psalmist is referring here to his weeping and his fasting. The inverted
past forms, va’evkeh, and vat’hi, are used here to express a
continuing situation. The verse is similar to a conditional sentence: If I cry,
it is a taunt for me.
12.
And I make sackcloth my garment. And I make sackcloth serve as my garment, in the
manner of mourners. And I have become a proverb to them. I serve them as a
proverb, a song of scorn, because of the mourning customs that I have adopted.
The word mashal, is used here in the sense of mockery that is accompanied
by joy over someone else’s misfortune. Similarly (Deuteronomy 28:3 7): “And you
will become an astonishment, a proverb [mashal], and a byword.” See also
Psalm 44:15: “You have made us a byword [mashal] among the nations.” As
in the previous verse, so, too, here the inverted past forms va’et’nah,
and va’ehi, are used to express a continuous situation: When I make
sackcloth my garment, I become a proverb to them.
13
Those who sit at the gate talk of me, and I am the song of those who drink wine.
14
But I pray to You, O Lord for a time of favor. O God, in the greatness of Your
loving-kindness, answer me, in the truth of Your salvation.
13.
Those who sit at the gate talk of me. The expression, “those who sit at the gate,”
refers to those who sit idly at the gates of their houses and discuss foolish
things. My mourning over the desecration of God’s house serves them as a
favorite topic of conversation. They are like the people “who talk against you
by the walls and in the doors of the houses” mentioned in Ezekiel 33:30, and
like “those who sit at corners” mentioned in rabbinic literature. According to
this explanation, “those who sit at the gate” directly parallels “those who drink
wine.” According to another explanation, the expression, “those who sit at the
gate,” refers to the elders, judges, and communal leaders who sit at the city
gates (see Deuteronomy 25:7, and elsewhere). The psalmist laments the fact that
even the elders and the communal leaders disapprove of his zeal for God’s house
and reproach him on the matter. According to this explanation, “those who sit
at the gate” is in contrasting parallelism with “those who drink wine.” And
I am the song of those who drink wine. Or: Those who drink wine talk of
me in their songs. The expression, “those who drink wine,” refers to those who
spend their days at drinking and singing parties. Their songs are songs of
jesting and frivolity, in which they mock me and my mourning over God’s house.
In biblical Hebrew, the word shekhar, means “wine.” Similarly (Numbers
28:7): “And its drink offering shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one
lamb. In the holy place you shall cause the wine [shekhar] to be poured
to the Lord for a drink-offering”; and (Numbers 28:14): “And a fourth part of a
bin of wine [yayin] for a lamb.”
A
similar lament is found in the Book of Lamentations (3:14): “I have become a
derision to all my people, and their song all the day”; and (3:63): “I am their
song.” A description similar to: “And I am the song of those who drink wine,”
is found in Isaiah 5:11-12: “Woe to those who rise up early in the morning,
that they may follow strong drink [shekhar], who continue until night,
till wine inflames them! And the lyre, and the lute, the tambourine, and the
pipe, and wine, are in their feasts.” Similarly (Isaiah 24:8-9): “The mirth of
tambourines ceases, the noise of those who rejoice ends, the joy of the lyre is
stilled. They will not drink wine with a song, strong drink [shekhar]
will be bitter to those who drink it.” A similar expression is found in the
rebuke of Amos (Amos 6:5-6): “Those who pluck the strings of the lute, and
devise for themselves instruments of music, like David, who drink wine in
bowls.”
14.
But I pray to You, O Lord. The vav in the word va’ani, expresses
contrast: They talk about me, but I pray to You. They sing their songs while
they drink their wine, but I sing my prayers to You. The expression va’ani t’fillati,
means: But I pray. [An expression somewhat similar to this is found in Exodus
17:12:
“And his hands were steady [emunah],” the word emunah having the
meaning of ne’emanot.] According to another explanation, it is an
abridgment of: But I direct my prayer to You. Or: But as for me, my prayer is
directed toward You. For a time of favor. This is the essence of
my prayer: A time of favor. In other words, please hasten the time of favor and
the day of salvation, as it is said (Isaiah 49:8): “In a time of favor [b’et
ratzon] I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you”;
and (Isaiah 61:2): “To proclaim a year of favor [sh’nat-ratzon] for the
Lord, and a day of vengeance for our God.” The word ratzon, is used here
in the sense of “favor,”“love,” and “endearment.” It is the opposite of kétzef,
“wrath.” Similarly (Isaiah 60:10): “For in My wrath [v’kitzpi] I smote
you, but in My favor [uvirtzoni] I have had mercy on you.” See also
Psalms 30:8 and 51:20. Another explanation: The words un ‘et ratzon, “a
time of favor,” are linked to the word t’fiIlati, “I pray,” and the
whole verse is a prayer: May this time be a time of favor before You to accept
my prayer with favor. Another explanation: I pray before You in a time of
favor, at a time that is appropriate for prayer. The psalmist may also be
hinting that he times his prayer to coincide with the offering of the
sacrifices, in connection with which the word “favor” is frequently used, for
that time is in fact a time of favor appropriate for prayer. This fits in well
with what the psalmist says in verses 31-32: “1 will praise the name of God
with song .... And it will please the Lord more than an ox and a bull that has
horns and hooves.” In other words, the psalmist is offering his prayers in
place of a sacrifice. An allusion to this interpretation of the expression “a
time of favor” may be found in Proverbs 15:8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is
an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight [r’tzono].”
It can be added that, according to this interpretation, the expression “a time
of favor” corresponds to what was stated in the previous verse: “And I am the
song of those who drink wine”: They waste their time in idleness and
drunkenness, whereas I determine the time of favor and utilize it for prayer. [In
accordance with this understanding of the verse, the editors of the prayer-book
inserted this verse into the Shabbat Afternoon Service, as if to say: At this
time, Shabbat afternoon, when the lighthearted spend their time in drinking and
in merry song, those who fear the Lord remember that this time of day is a time
of favor, the time when the daily afternoon sacrifice used to be offered, and
so they use this time in prayer. Only this verse is recited, and not the
previous verse (even though the two are connected), so as not to provoke
criticism of
15
Deliver me from the mire, and do not let me sink. Let me be delivered from
those who hate me, and from the deep waters.
16
Let floodwaters not overwhelm me, and let deep waters not swallow me up, and
let the pit. not close its mouth upon me.
15.
Deliver me from the mire, and do not let me sink. The psalmist here expands
upon his prayer for salvation found in the previous verse. He alludes to verse
3: “I have sunk into deep mire [biven m’tzulah],” the words yaven,
and tit, both meaning “mire” (see our commentary on verse 3, and see
also Psalm 40:3: “Out of the deep mire [mittit hayaven]). The word etba’ah,
“I will sink,” is an extended future form, used here for emphasis. Let me
be delivered from those who hate me, and from the deep waters. Please
let me be delivered from those who hate me and who instill in me dread like the
dread of deep waters. The psalmist alludes here to verse 3: “I have come into
deep waters,” and verse 5: “Those who hate me for no reason.”
16.
Let floodwaters not overwhelm me. The psalmist is alluding here to verse 3: “And the
flood overwhelms me.” And let deep waters not swallow me up. And let the deep
waters not cover me. Here, too, the psalmist is alluding to verse 3: “I have
sunk into deep mire.” And let the pit not close its mouth upon me.
And do not let the pit into which I have sunk close its mouth upon me and cut
me off from a way of climbing out. The psalmist first described himself as
someone who is drowning in a river (“floodwaters”) or in the sea (“deep
waters”). Here he describes himself as sinking into a pit. It is possible that
the b’er, “pit,” referred to here is a deep chasm at the bottom of the
sea. The word te’tar, “close,” is a verb found nowhere else in the Bible. From
the context it would seem to denote “sealing” or “shutting,” similar to (Judges
3:15): “A left-handed man [itter],” whose right hand is regarded as if
it has been tied up and rendered unusable. The images of deep water swallowing
people up and a pit closing its mouth also allude to the underworld, which is
described as having a wide mouth that swallows up those who descend into it.
The “floodwaters” are “waves of death” and “floods of destruction.”
17
Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Turn toward me in
accordance with Your abundant mercy.
18
And do not hide Your face from Your servant. Since I am in distress, answer me
speedily.
19
Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Because of my enemies, ransom me.
17.
Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Answer me because Your loving-kindness
is good. In other words, You can be depended upon to do good to the members of
Your covenant who put their trust in You. The words, “for Your loving-kindness
is good,” allude to the common thanksgiving formula: “Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good” [Hodu LaAdonai Ki Tov]. They may also hint at the fact that
God’s attribute of loving-kindness is included among the thirteen divine
attributes, regarding which the verse states (Exodus 33:19): “1 will make all
My goodness pass before you.” The words, “Your loving-kindness is good,”
parallel the words, “in accordance with Your abundant mercy.” The word tov,
“good,” (or “beneficial”) may also denote an increase in number, as we find in
the Aramaic used in the Babylonian Talmud, where the word tuva, means
“many” Furthermore, the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew word chësed,
“loving-kindness,” is tivu. Turn toward me in accordance with Your
abundant mercy. Watch over me and deal with me in accordance with Your
attribute of displaying great mercy and compassion, as the verse states (Psalm
119:156): “Your mercies are many, O Lord.” The psalmist is alluding here to the
attribute of mercy which is included among the thirteen divine attributes. The
expression, “turn toward me,” alludes to the request, accept my prayer, and
parallels the expression, “answer me.” Similarly (Psalm 102:18): “He has heeded
[panah] the prayer of the tamarisk.” Regarding the expression, “turn
toward me in accordance with Your abundant mercy,” see also II Kings 13:23: “And
the Lord was gracious to them, and He had mercy upon them, and He turned toward
them,” and Psalm 25:16: “Turn to me and favor me.”
18.
And do not hide Your face from Your servant. Do not hide Yourself from my
prayer and from my distress. This negatively formulated request parallels the
positively formulated request in the previous verse: “Turn toward me.” Since
I am in distress, answer me speedily. Since I am in distress, I ask
that You answer me speedily Another interpretation: I ask that You hasten to
answer me.’
19.
Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. Come close to me, and rescue me. Earlier the
psalmist asked that God “turn” to him, like someone who looks on from a
distance. Here he adds that God should “draw near” to him, like someone who
approaches a person in distress and extricates him from his troubles. The verb qorvah,
“Draw near,” is a lengthened form of the imperative, used here to express
supplication.’ The word nafshi, “my soul,” is a poetic substitution for
“me.” The word g’alaH, means “redeem it,”“rescue it.” Similarly (Genesis
48:16): “The angel who redeemed [hago’el] me from all evil.” The words:
“Draw near to my soul, and redeem it,” allude to what is stated in the Torah
(Leviticus 25:25): “Then shall his near kinsman come to redeem, and he shall
redeem what his brother sold.” The psalmist means: Act as a near kinsman, and
redeem me in accordance with the laws of redemption. Because of my enemies,
ransom me. Because of my enemies I cry out to You that You should ransom me.
Another explanation: Ransom me in order that I may be saved from my enemies.
Another explanation: Ransom me, if not for myself, then for the sake of my
enemies that they may recognize Your power. The verb p’dëni, “ransom me,”
parallels the verb g’alaH, “redeem it.” Similarly (Jeremiah 31:10): “For
the Lord has ransomed [fadah] Jacob, and has redeemed him [ug’alo]
from the hand of him who was stronger than he.”
20
You know my taunting, and my shame, and my humiliation. All my adversaries are
before You.
21
Insult has broken my heart, and I have fallen sick. I hoped for someone to
console me, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.
20.
You know my taunting, and my shame, and my humiliation. You, O God, know the reproach
that I suffer, as was stated above (verse 8): “For on Your account I have borne
taunting.” The formulation: “You know my taunting,” corresponds to the
formulation (verse 6): “You know my folly.” The psalmist means: Just as You
alone know my wrongdoings, so, too, do You alone know the great distress that I
experience as a result of the reproaches of my enemies. Furthermore, it is
right that my distress over those taunts should serve as an atonement for my
wrongdoings. Three synonyms are used here for added emphasis: Taunting, shame,
and humiliation. All my adversaries are before You. All my adversaries and all
that they do to me are revealed before You.
21.
Insult has broken my heart. The insults that my enemies have cast upon me have
distressed me so much that I feel as if my heart is broken. And I have fallen
sick. And I am as if mortally sick. I hoped for someone to console me, but
there was none. I hoped that my friends would come to console me and to share
my troubles (see Job 2:11), but no one came to console me. The infinitive form lanud,
“to console,” may perhaps be a substitute for a gerund, “for consoling.” Another
possibility is that it comes in place of a collective noun, “for consolers” And
for comforters, but I found none. And I hoped for comforters, but I found none.
In ancient times, consolation and comfort were offered for many different types
of trouble, and not only for grief over death.
22
But they put poison in my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
23
Let their table be a snare before them, and let the table set up for peace be a
trap.
24
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins
constantly tremble.
22.
But they put poison in my food. They - the comforters mentioned in the previous verse
- put in my food a bitter-tasting poisonous fruit, called rosh (see
Deuteronomy 32:32, and elsewhere). Earlier the psalmist complained that he
waited for comforters but found none. Here he adds a more serious complaint: People
did come to me posing as comforters, but not only did they not ease my
distress, they added to it. The word barut, means “food,” similar to the
word biryah (II Samuel 13:5). The psalmist is alluding here to the meal
offered to a mourner s’uddat havra’ah, see II Samuel 3:35: “And all the
people came to cause David to eat [l’havrot] bread”). And for my
thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. And in order to quench my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink, which only caused my thirst to grow. This
expression alludes to the “cup of consolation” offered to a mourner, which is a
cup of wine. The wicked/lawless give the mourner wine that has turned into
vinegar in order to aggravate his distress.
23.
Let their table be a snare before them. The psalmist curses the wicked
and prays that they will be dealt with in the same manner as they dealt with
him: They put poison in my food; therefore let their table (set before them for
a meal) become a snare for them, a source of catastrophe. He may possibly mean
that deadly poison should be placed in their food, or else that their allies,
who dine with them at their table, should betray them (see Psalm 41:10: “Even
the man who sought my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has stamped
upon me with his heel”). [See Proverbs 23:1-3: “When you sit to eat with a
ruler .... Be not desirous of his dainties, for they are deceitful food.” See
also Daniel 11:27: “And both these kings’ hearts will be bent on doing
mischief, and they will speak lies at one table.” These verses allude to the
devious practice of rulers from ancient times to this day, whereby they invite
their counterparts to a festive meal and engage them in discussion over the
food, all the time intending to deceive them and to set a trap for them.] And
let the table set up for peace be a trap. And let the table set up for
peace - for a peaceful meal, or else for a meal with those with whom they are
at peace - become a trap for them. The word moqesh, means “trap,” just
like the parallel term pach, “snare.” Similarly (Amos 3:5; and see our
commentary there): “Can a bird fall in a snare [pach] upon the earth, if
there is no trap [moqesh] for it?”
24. Let their eyes be
darkened, so that they cannot see. This is another curse: Let there be
darkness before their eyes, so that they will not be able to see. It is said of
someone who cannot see that his eyes have darkened, just as it is said about
someone who sees well that his eyes have lit up (I Samuel 14:29). And
make their loins constantly tremble. This is a prayer: Bring upon them continuous
weakness, so that they will always feel trembling in their loins (see Nahum 2:11
and Psalm 66:11). The psalmist may possibly mean that it is his prayer that
they should not be able to stand on their feet, but that they should slip and
fall. The curse: “Let their eyes be darkened,” may possibly be a punishment in
kind corresponding to what was stated above (verse 4): “My eyes fail,” and the
curse: “And make their loins constantly tremble,” may possibly be a punishment
in kind corresponding to what was stated in verse 3:
“Where
there is no standing.”
25
Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.
26
Let their encampment be desolate. Let non dwell in their tents.
27
For they pursue those whom You have smitten, and they tell of the pain of those
whom You wounded.
25.
Pour out Your wrath upon them. Punish them according to the full severity of the
law. God’s wrath is likened to a burning fire which pours out like a liquid. And
let Your burning anger overtake them. This is a prayer: Let Your
burning anger overtake them. God’s anger is likened to a tempestuous storm
which overtakes those who try to flee from it.
26.
Let their encampment be desolate. This is an additional curse: Let my enemies be sent
into exile, so that their encampment will become desolate. The word tirah,
“encampment,” refers to a tent camp inhabited by those wandering through the
desert, and also to the fence encircling that camp (see Genesis 25:16; Song of
Songs 8:9, and our commentary there). The psalmist may perhaps be referring
here to the desert tribes that were the enemies of
27.
For they pursue those whom You have smitten. They deserve all the curses
mentioned above, for they do not pursue a strong and mighty warrior, but a
vulnerable man who has been smitten by God, and they add afflictions to the afflictions
that have already been sent by Him. The psalmist places the word attah,
“You,” at the beginning of the verse in order to hint that the wicked/lawless
pursue the righteous/generous man because God has smitten him, for they
mistakenly think that God hates those whom He has smitten, and therefore it is
proper for mortals to add to such people’s miseries. Another explanation: The
blows that I have received from those who pursued me really came from You, O
God, and my enemies merely served as the instruments of Your wrath. And it is
precisely for that reason that these enemies are deserving of all the curses
mentioned in these verses, as it is said (Isaiah 10:5): “Ah, Ashur, the rod of
My anger, etc.” And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded.
And they talk about the pain of those whom You have wounded, and they take
pride in it as if they, and not You, had inflicted that pain. In biblical
Hebrew, the word chalal, does not necessarily refer to someone who has
been killed. It may also refer to someone who has been wounded, and whose body
has been filled with holes (chalalim). Another explanation: They talk
and hold consultations in order to cause pain to those whom You have wounded.
28
Add iniquity/lawlessness to their iniquity/lawlessness, and let them not be
admitted to Your vindication.
29
Let them be erased from the book of the living, and let them not be written
with the righteous/generous.
30
But I am afflicted and in pain. Your salvation, O God will protect me.
31
I will praise the name of God with song, and I will magnify Him with
thanksgiving.
28.
Add iniquity/lawlessness to their iniquity/lawlessness Do not pardon them for any of
their sins, but gather together all their sins, and punish them for all of
them. Another explanation: Allow them to continue to sin, so that they will
perish more quickly This idea finds expression in the rabbinic statement
(Shabbat 104a, and elsewhere): “He who comes to defile himself, the door is
opened for him.” And let them not be admitted to Your vindication.
Let them not be admitted among those whom You think of vindicating. In other
words, do not consider any argument in their favor, for all their deeds are
evil. This is similar to Moses’ prayer (Numbers 16:15): “Have no regard for
their offering.” According to another explanation, the word tzidkatékha,
is a collective noun, meaning “Your righteous/generous ones”: Let them not be
admitted among the righteous/generous ones recorded before You. We find a
similar usage in rabbinic Hebrew, where the word k’hunah, which usually
means “priesthood,” can also refer to the community of priests.
29.
Let them be erased from the book of the living. This is a curse: Let their
names be erased from the book in which the names of all living people are
inscribed. This expression is based on the idea that the heavenly kingdom is
similar to the earthly kingdom, so that there is a book in heaven in which the
names of all living people are inscribed, and anyone whose name is erased from
the book is regarded as if he were dead. Similarly (Exodus 32:32): “Erase me, I
pray You, from the book that You have written”; and (Isaiah 4:3): “Everyone in
30.
But I am afflicted and in pain. The vav in the word va’ani, has the
sense of “but.” Let the previously mentioned curses fall upon the wicked, but
as for me, I am afflicted and oppressed, in pain and suffering. Your
salvation, O God, will protect me. Your salvation, O God, will serve as
my protection and defense against my enemies. The verse can also be understood
as follows:
You,
O God, will protect me with Your salvation. According to this interpretation,
the word t’sagg’veni, “will
protect me,” is a second-person singular masculine future. Another possibility
is that the verse should be understood as follows: O God! Your salvation will
protect me. According to this interpretation, the word t’sagg’veni is a
third-person singular feminine future.
31.
1 will praise the name of God with song. The psalmist takes a vow,
promising that after he is delivered he will sing songs of praise to God. The
word ahal’lah, “I will praise,” is a lengthened form of the future, and
is used here to denote a vow The expression, “the name of God,” often comes in
place of God Himself. Another explanation: I will praise the name of God, for
it is through His name that God performs His marvels. And I will magnify
Him with thanksgiving. And I will express His greatness by means of a
song of thanksgiving (the word “song” in the first clause extends to this
clause as well)
32
And it will please the Lord more than an ox and a bull hat has horns and
hooves.
33
The humble have seen and they will rejoice. You who seek God, let your heart
revive.
34
For the Lord hearkens to the poor, and He does not despise His afflicted.
32.
And it will please the Lord more than an ox and a bull. The gratitude that I will
express in my songs will be more pleasing to God than a thanksgiving-offering
of an ox and a bull. The words shor, “ox,” and par, “bull,” are
synonymous, and are placed together here for added emphasis. Another
explanation: The expression shor par, means a strong male ox, for the
word shor can refer to the young of a cow, both male and female, as in
Leviticus 22:27: “When a bullock [shor], or a sheep, or a goat, is
brought forth,” whereas the word par refers to the male offspring of a
cow, two years of age or more. Another explanation: And it will please the Lord
more than an ox or a bull. It is also possible that the word par is
connected to the second clause, so that the verse should be understood as
follows: And it will please the Lord more than an ox, and more than a bull that
has horns and hooves. That has horns and hooves. That has both horns and
hooves. [According to the Masorah, the word maq’rin, is spelled in a
defective manner (without a yod). According to a rabbinic interpretation, the
Masoretic spelling alludes to the reading miqqëren, the mem with
a hirik, and the quf and the resh with a segol, and
the verse is explained as alluding to the bullock offered by Adam, which had a
single horn coming out of its forehead (see our conclusion to the psalm). In
any event, we see from here that the defective spelling may possibly allude to
a difference between the k’tiv and the k’ri. According to the
Masoretic spelling, the verse means: And it will please the Lord more than a
horn that has hooves. The word “horn” is thus a figure of speech denoting a
“bull,” in the manner of a synecdoche where a part stands for the whole [pars
pro toto]. The word qeren, is treated here as a masculine, because it
stands for “bull.” The verse can also be understood as meaning: And it will
please the Lord more than a horn and more than that which has hooves (miqqeren
umimmaf’ris).
33.
The humble have seen and they will rejoice. From this point until the end
of the psalm, the psalmist is citing from the song of thanksgiving that he has
vowed to sing upon his deliverance: The humble and the righteous/generous have
seen God’s salvation, and they must therefore rejoice. The future form of the
verb yismachu, “they will rejoice,” has the meaning of an imperative,
and thus it complements the abridged future form of the verb viychi, in
the parallel clause. The expression “the humble” may possibly refer to the
congregation present at the thanksgiving service conducted by the psalmist (see
Psalms 22:27, 34:3). The psalmist turns to them and instructs them to
participate in his joy (the past form of the verb ra’u, “have seen,” may
also have the meaning of an imperative). You who seek God, let your heart
revive. Arise from your depression, and be happy and full of vigor.
Those “who seek God” are those who fear God, who turn to Him in their prayers,
and who try to fulfill His will. Like “the humble,” those “who seek God” may
refer to the congregation that joins with the psalmist in prayer. After having
referred to the assembled congregation in the third person (yismachu),
the psalmist now addresses them directly in the second person (viyhi l’vavkhem),
and encourages them to fill themselves with feelings of happiness and renewal.
This is the meaning of the expression viychi 1’vavkhem, “let your heart
revive,” as in Genesis 45:27: “The spirit of their father Jacob revived [vat’chi]
.“ See also our conclusion to the psalm.
34.
For the Lord hearkens to the poor. The humble will rejoice because they have come
to know that God hears the prayers of the poor and fulfills their requests.
Similarly (Genesis 30:22): “And God hearkened to her, and He opened her womb,”
and elsewhere. Here the term ev’yonim, “poor,” refers to those who are
oppressed and afflicted with sufferings (see Psalm 9:19, and elsewhere). And
He does not despise His afflicted. And He does not despise those who
fear Him and who are afflicted with sufferings. The word asir,
“afflicted,” refers to a person who is afflicted with sufferings of any kind,
and not just to a person who is tied up or imprisoned. Another explanation: The
word asirav, “His afflicted,” refers to those who fear God and who
cleave to Him. Another explanation: The term asirav refers to those
members of the people of
35
The heavens and the earth will praise Him, the seas, and everything that moves
in them.
36
For God will deliver Zion, and He will build the cities of
37
And the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will
dwell in it.
35.
The heavens and the earth will praise Him. The heavens and the earth
must praise God for His salvation. The psalmist means that God’s deliverance of His people is counted
among the Creator’s greatest miracles and it affects all creation. The
psalmist initially said (verse 31) that he himself would praise God. Then
(verse 33) he called upon those who fear the Lord to participate in his joy.
And now in his great excitement (verse 35) he calls upon all creation to praise
God. The seas, and everything that moves in them. The seas will
praise God, together with everything that is in them, all the creatures that
live in the seas, as the verse states (Genesis 1:2 1): “And every living
creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly after their
kind.” Our verse should be understood as follows: The heavens and the earth,
the seas, and everything that moves in them will praise God. The psalmist means
that all created beings, animate and inanimate, will praise God. The word bam,
is a poetic form of the word , bahem, “in them.”
36.
For God will deliver
37.
And the seed of His servants will inherit it.
CONCLUSION
In
this psalm the psalmist finds himself in great distress. His enemies pursue
him, hate him without cause, bring false accusations against him, and extort
money from him through lies. In addition to his material difficulties, the
psalmist also finds himself in spiritual distress on account of his enemies’
taunts and humiliations. Not only do his enemies taunt him, but even his kinsmen
scorn him and distance themselves from him. Out of this great distress the
psalmist cries out to God to save him, and he lays grievous curses upon his
enemies. He takes it upon himself to sing a song of praise and thanksgiving to
God, a song of thanksgiving being preferred to a thanksgiving-offering. In his
song of thanksgiving, the psalmist calls upon all those who fear God and upon
all created beings to rejoice in God’s salvation, which serves as a sign that
God will deliver
The
wording of the psalm suggests that the distress about which the psalmist
laments is not his individual distress, but the distress of the community, the
distress of the people of
As we
find throughout the Book of Psalms, this psalm, too, is formulated in general
terms, which makes it appropriate to be recited on many different occasions.
The psalm may originally have been intended to be recited by one of the
mourners for
The
[We
have already noted in the commentary that certain formulations repeat
themselves in this psalm. For example: “The flood overwhelms me” (verse 3) -
“let floodwaters not overwhelm me” (verse 16). To these we must add the
repetitions of the prayer for Gods salvation that occur at the beginnings or
endings of the various sections of the psalm: “Save me [hoshi’ëni], O
God” (verse 2) - “answer me in the truth of Your salvation [yish’ekha]”
(verse 14) - “Your salvation [y’shu’at’kha], O God, will protect me”
(verse 30) - “for God will deliver [yoshi’a] Zion” (verse 36).
We
have already remarked in the notes that verse 7: “Let those who trust in You, O
Lord God of hosts, not be ashamed for my sake,” was included in the prayer: “Be
with the mouths of those sent by Your people,” recited on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur. In addition, verse 14: “But I pray to You,” was included in the Shabbat
Afternoon Service. It should also be pointed out that this verse was included
in the group of verses beginning with: “How goodly are your tents,” which are
customarily recited upon entering the synagogue. The expression: “Draw near to
my soul,” in verse 19 was worked into the Lekhah Dodi prayer/song (composed by
Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz) in Kabbalat Shabbat. Verse 25: “Pour out Your wrath upon
them,” was included in the Passover Haggadah according to many rites following
the verse: “Pour out Your anger.” The petition recited during the Ten Days of
Penitence: “Inscribe us in the book of life [or: the living] ,“ is based on
verse 29: “Let them be erased from the book of the living, and let them not be
written with the righteous/generous.” Regarding verse 32: “And it will please
the Lord more than an ox and a bull that has horns and hooves,” the rabbis
expounded (Rosh Has hanah 26a): “mishofar = mishor par,” the words shor
and par are equivalent to shofar, the ram’s horn.” (It seems
likely that this exposition is based on reading maq’rin, as miqqeren,
qéren being the same as shofar; see the Gemara there.) Based on
this exposition, Rabbi Shimon the son of Rabbi Yitzhak formulated a sentence in
his Kerovot for the Morning Service of the second day of Rosh Hashanah (in the
Ashkenazi rite): “Mend your deeds and God’s covenant will not be annulled. Your
cry will reach Him who decorated the heavens. And it will please the Lord more
than an ox and a bull, the Holy One.”]
This
psalm is almost the opposite of the previous psalm (Psalm 68). There we find
joy and happiness over the victory that God has granted to His people, and over
the Divine Presence that dwells in the
Ketubim
Midrash Psalm 69
They
beheld the Lord come into the Tent of Meeting, and they became righteous/generous,
as is said Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous/generous (Ps. 33:1).
They beheld God upon the waters of the sea, and they became Shoshannim,
“lilies,” as is said For the leader; upon Shoshannim. And when
Shoshannim? When, as the Psalm says, they prayed: Save me, O God; for the
waters are come in unto the soul.
II. I sink in deep mire, where
there is no standing; I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me
(Ps. 69:3). Deep mire alludes to the exile in
R.
Jose ben Halafta taught that there are set times for prayer [three: morning,
afternoon and evening]. What is an acceptable set time? The hour when a Jewish
congregation prays. And thus Scripture says, In an acceptable time have I
heard You (Isa. 49:8).
Deliver
me out of the mire, and let me not sink (Ps. 69:15); that is, deliver me out of the
punishment of hell, of which it is said He brought me up also out of the
tumultuous pit, out of the miry clay (Ps. 40:3).
Ashlamatah:
Isaiah 55:13 – 56:8 + 57:15
13
Instead of the thorn will come up the cypress, and instead of the brier will
come up the myrtle; and it will be to the LORD for a memorial, for an
everlasting sign that will not be cut off. {P}
1
Thus says the LORD: Keep justice, and do righteousness/generosity; for My salvation
is near to come, and My favor to be revealed.
2
Happy is the man that does this, and the son of man that holds fast by it: that
keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.
{S}
3 Neither
let the alien, that has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying: 'The LORD
will surely separate me from His people'; neither let the eunuch say: 'Behold,
I am a dry tree.' {P}
4 For
thus says the LORD concerning the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the
things that please Me, and hold fast by My covenant:
5
Even unto them will I give in My house and within My walls a monument and a
memorial better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting
memorial, that will not be cut off. {S}
6
Also the aliens, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto Him, and to
love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, every one that keeps the Sabbath
from profaning it, and holds fast by My covenant:
7
Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of
prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable upon Mine
altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
8
Says the Lord GOD who gathers the dispersed of
9 All you beasts of the field, come to devour, yes,
all you beasts in the forest. {P}
10 His watchmen are all blind, without knowledge; they
are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; raving, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yes, the dogs are greedy, they know not when they
have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand; they all turn to
their own way, each one to his gain, one and all.
12 'Come, I will fetch wine, and we will fill
ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow will be as this day, and much more
abundant.'
1 The righteous/generous perish, and no man lays it to
heart, and godly men are taken away, none considering that the righteous/generous
is taken away from the evil to come.
2 He enters into peace, they rest in their beds, each
one that walks in his uprightness. {S}
3 But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the
seed of the adulterer and the harlot.
4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do
you make a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? Are you not children of
transgression, a seed of falsehood,
5 You that inflame yourselves among the terebinths,
under every leafy tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts
of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the valley is your
portion; they, they are your lot; even to them have you poured a
drink-offering, you have offered a meal-offering. Should I pacify Myself for
these things?
7 Upon a high and lofty mountain have you set your
bed; thither also went you up to offer sacrifice.
8 And behind the doors and the posts have you set up your
symbol; for you have uncovered, and are gone up from Me, you have enlarged your
bed, and chosen for yourself of them whose bed you love, whose hand you saw.
9 And you went to the king with ointment, and did
increase your perfumes, and did send your ambassadors far off, even down to the
nether-world.
10 You were wearied with the length of your way; yet
said you not: 'There is no hope'; you did find a renewal of your strength, therefore
you were not affected.
11 And of whom have you been afraid and in fear, that
you would fail? And as for Me, you have not remembered Me, nor laid it to your
heart. Have not I held My peace even of long time? Therefore you fear Me not.
12 I will declare your righteousness/generosity; your
works also--they will not profit you.
13 When you cry, let them that you have gathered deliver
you; but the wind will carry them all away, a breath will bear them off; but he
that takes refuge in Me will possess the land, and will inherit My holy
mountain.
14 And He will say: cast up, cast up, clear the way,
take up the stumbling-block out of the way of My people. {S}
15
For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is
Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite
and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart
of the contrite ones.
Midrash
of Matityahu (Matthew) 12:1-8
1. At that season Yeshuah went
through the fields of standing grain on the [Festival] Sabbath; and his
Talmidim were hungry, and they began to pick off the spikes of grain and to
eat.
2. And when the Pseudo-Pharisees
saw it, they said to Him, See there! Your Talmidim are doing something that is
not permitted to them on the Sabbath.
3. And Yeshuah said to them,
“Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, and those who
accompanied him?
4. Coming into the house of
Ha-Shem he ate the loaves of the showbread, which was not lawful for him to
eat, nor for the men who accompanied him, but for the priests only?
5. Or have you never studied,
what is written in the Torah that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple
violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and yet are guiltless?
6. Amen, I tell you, that surely
he (King David) is one who is greater than the
7. And if you knew what (Hosea
6:6) is, For I desire kindness rather than sacrifice, you would
not convict those who are not guilty,
8. Because and Adon over man (i.e
a Jewish King, Jewish Priest, or Jewish Judge) is even more so an Adon over the
Sabbath (i.e. under certain given circumstances can suspend for a particular
length of time the laws of the Sabbath).
The Rabbi’s Private Prophetic
Study
At
first glance there seems to be little relationship between our Torah Seder for
this week and the Midrash commentary of Messiah King David in Psalm 69, not to
mention the Ashlamatah and the Midrash of Matityahu. But such careless
observation betrays the fact of the profound relationship between these four
readings for this week.
Messiah
King David looks deeply into all the implications of Bezalel a distinguished
gentleman from the tribe of
When
the Master of Nazareth was walking upon this earth, he taught: “You examine
the Scriptures carefully because you understand that in them you have eternal
life, and it is they that testify about me.” (Yochanan 5:39). If we apply
this principle to our Psalm even only from the Peshat we find that four times the name of our Master clearly spelled
out and alluded to:
v.2 – “הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי
אֱלֹהִים” – “Hoshie’eni Elohim” – translated as: “Save me O G-d” – but
read: “extend Yeshuah to me O G-d.”
v.14 – “עֲנֵנִי,
בֶּאֱמֶת
יִשְׁעֶךָ” – “A’aneni BeEmet Yishe’ekha” –
translated as: “answer me with the truth of Your salvation – but read: “answer
me with the truth of Your Yeshua.”
v.30 – “יְשׁוּעָתְךָ
אֱלֹהִים
תְּשַׂגְּבֵנִי” – “Y’shuat’kha Elohim T’sag’veni” –
translated as: “let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high” – but read: “Let
Your Yeshuah, O G-d set me up on high.”
v.36 – “כִּי
אֱלֹהִים,
יוֹשִׁיעַ
צִיּוֹן” – Khi Elohim Yoshia Tsiyon” – translated as: “For God will
save
It is
no surprise then that this Psalm is perhaps one of the most prophetically
Messianic of all the collection of Psalms. The title of the Psalm as translated
by the Targum furnishes even with a date in which the prophecies contained in
the Psalm would start to be fulfilled: “concerning the removal of the
sanhedrim” – which according to our Sages took place about forty years before the destruction of the temple.
The writers of the Nazarean
Codicil quote on a number of occasions from this Psalm as in:
Psalm 69:4 in the So’od of Yochanan 15:25;
Psalm 69:9 in the So’od of Yochanan 2:17;
Psalm 69:21 in the Midrash of Matityahu 27:34;
Psalm 69:22 in the Rehmetz of Hakham Shaul in Epistle
to the Romans 11:9;
Psalm 69:25 in the Rehmetz of Hakham Lukas in his II
Lukas (Acts) 1:16.
Please
note that in no part of the Nazarean Codicil is this Psalm quoted to be
interpreted in its literal meaning, bur rather its true significance is brought
out either in its allegorical, metaphorical, or its metaphysical modes of
hermeneutic interpretation. Clearly the Psalm prophesies concerning the
Messiah, it past times as well as in future times. The Messiah as new Bezalel
(or rather “Betzal El” – “in the shadow of G-d”) paid a heavy price for the
redemption of all Israel, and those from among the Gentiles who sincerely love
G-d and His Torah. And this Psalm goes on to describe the reconstruction of
G-d’s
Another
interesting feature of this Psalm is that it not only describes aptly the life
of the Master of Nazareth, but also that of his genuine disciples and
followers. Such common incidents and feelings described in this Psalm as:
v.2 – “for the waters have come to my neck.”
v.3 – “I have sunk into deep mire, where there is no
standing. I have come into deep waters, and the flood overwhelms me.”
v.4 – “I am weary with my crying out, my throat is
dry, my eyes fail while I wait for my God.”
v.5 – “Those who hate me for no reason are more
numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who would destroy me are many, who
are wrongfully my enemies. What I did not steal I must restore.”
v.7 – “Let those who trust in You, O Lord God of
hosts, not be ashamed for my sake. Let those who seek You, O God of Israel, not
be humiliated for my sake.”
v.9 – “I have become a stranger to my brothers and an
alien to my mother’s sons.”
v.10 – “Because the zeal for Your house has consumed
me, and the taunts of those who taunt You have fallen upon me.
v.11 – “And I weep with fasting over my soul, and that
becomes a taunt for me.”
v.12 – “And I make sackcloth my garment, and I have
become a proverb to them.”
v.13 – “Those who sit at the gate talk of me, and I am
the song of those who drink wine.”
v.21 – “Insult has broken my heart, and I have fallen
sick. I hoped for someone to console me, but there was none, and for
comforters, but I found none.”
v.22 – “But they put poison in my food, and for my
thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
v.30 – “But I am afflicted and in pain. Your Yeshuah,
O God will protect me.”
If
these things happen to you because of your study and observance of Torah
(Written and Oral) and because of your faithful testimony about Yeshuah, then
indeed you are his disciple and your reward will be great indeed. As a Nazarean
you must expect the very worst of man, but at the same time you are rewarded
with a closeness to G-d, His Messiah, His spirit, His Shekhinah, His Word, and
His Wisdom that is absolutely priceless! There is indeed great advantage in
every way to be an active and public disciple of the Master of Nazareth.
Nevertheless,
our hearts and minds filled with gratitude to G-d’s and with His generosity, we
join our voices with Hakham Shaul and without a shadow of shame to exclaim
triumphantly from the depths of our soul:
“Who will separate us from the love of Messiah? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger,
or sword? Even as it has been written, “For Your sake we are killed all the
day; we are counted as sheep of slaughter” (44:22). But in all these things we
more than conquer through Him (G-d) loving us. For I am fully persuaded that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will
be able to separate us from the love of God in Yeshuah the Messiah, our
Master!” [Romans 8:35-39]
Now
Matityahu, follows carefully on the comment of the Psalmist in 69:31-32 – “I
will praise the name of God with song, and I will magnify Him with
thanksgiving. And it will please the Lord more than an ox and a bull hat has
horns and hooves,” and in the setting of a magisterial lesson on Sabbath
observance he goes to emphasize the chief object of the Law: “For I
desire kindness rather than sacrifice.” We can, and under certain
conditions suspend sacrifice for the sake of kindness, but we surely can not
and under no circumstance suspend kindness for the sake of sacrifice!
This
is the third Shabbat since the festival of Sukkoth, and the themes of each of
them come in a majestic and perfect succession: Gratitude – Generosity –
Kindness! And this last topic of kindness, is presented to us at the
beginning of our Torah Seder when G-d is not ashamed to publicly state: “And
Moses said unto the children of
May
we be filled with a heart and a mind ready to manifest gratitude, generosity
and kindness, even at the cost of our own lives, together with al of our most
noble people of Yisrael, Amen ve Amen!
Shalom
Shabbat!
Hakham
Dr. Yosef ben Haggai